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Faced with falling oil revenue and an alarming budget deficit, Saudi Arabia is pinning some of its economic hopes on nationalising the production and sale of miswak, according to local media reports.

Ibrahim al-Muaiqil, director-general of the kingdom's human resources fund, is quoted as saying the miswak trade generates "huge" income and that it could become part of Saudi Arabia's "major non-oil exports".

The miswak is a small stick used for cleaning teeth as an alternative to toothpaste and toothbrush. It is widely used in Muslim countries and is especially popular with religious elements since the Prophet Muhammad is said to have used it and recommended it. 

Miswaks come from Salvadora persica (also known as Arak), a drought-resistant shrub which is said to have natural anti-bacterial properties. It grows in more than 30 countries, including Saudi Arabia – which means that Saudi efforts to turn it into a national money-spinner could face competition from elsewhere.

Arab News, citing Muaiqil, says the Saudi Ministry of Labour "is heading in the direction of nationalisation of the sale of miswak in all parts of the Kingdom, in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Affairs". It continues:

"If the Ministry of Social Affairs succeeds in opening up windows for sale of miswak around the Grand Mosque in Makkah, the next step would be to nationalise its sale in all parts of the country."

After "complete nationalisation", the two ministries would then work on developing miswak as an export.

The reported plan for state control of the miswak trade conflicts with the announcement last week by Prince Muhammad bin Salman that Saudi Arabia is embarking on a Thatcherite economic revolution which will involve large-scale privatisation.

However, there seems to be a racial motive behind the plan to nationalise miswak. Non-Saudis "currently dominate this sector at all its stages", the Arab News article says. After nationalisation, only Saudis would be involved in the production of miswak, its sale and marketing. 

Miswak sellers in Madinah were interviewed by Arab News in an article last July.